http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/
enMon, 19 Nov 2018 23:38:03 +0100Tue, 05 Jun 2018 09:34:02 +0200http://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1660.jpghttp://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/
144Oxfordshire County Council and Cherwell District Council consider joint working proposals to improve serviceshttp://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxfordshire-county-council-and-cherwell-district-council-joint-working-proposal---statement/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxfordshire-county-council-and-cherwell-district-council-joint-working-proposal---statement/Oxfordshire County Council and Cherwell District Council are considering a proposal for shared service arrangements under a joint chief executive, while retaining separate councillor bodies, budgets and decision-making processes. The principle of joint working was agreed by the county council’s Cabinet and Cherwell District Council on Monday 4 June.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said:

“We are keen to work with Cherwell to ensure its residents continue to receive good services. The county council also believes a joint arrangement would help to secure investment in the infrastructure needed to support increases in jobs and homes.

“The problems in Northamptonshire have created this unique opportunity for a county-district shared service arrangement. I am confident that if we can reach an agreement that would be good for Cherwell and good for the rest of Oxfordshire.

The local government review in Northamptonshire has required the Leader and the administration of Cherwell District Council to reflect upon its future and to consider what is best for its residents. As a result, they are minded to formally end their successful partnership with South Northamptonshire, and are looking at future options that will best suit the interests of its residents.

Bodicote House - Cherwell District Council's HQ

Councillor Barry Wood, Leader of Cherwell District Council, said:

“This is a great opportunity to explore closer joint working with Oxfordshire County Council, putting our residents at the heart of service delivery. In Cherwell we already have a very successful track record of partnership working and welcome the possibility of a strong and innovative relationship with colleagues at the County.

"In line with our ethos we will consider all partnerships that fit with our culture. In short, we do not and will not, operate a ‘one size fits all policy’ – but take individual decisions based on customer need and evidence."

Joint working arrangements were formally agreed under what is known as a Section 113 agreement by the Cabinet of Oxfordshire County Council and Cherwell District Council on 4 June.

The exact arrangements for sharing services and joining up functions will need to be worked out in detail and then agreed separately by each council. The shared service arrangements would be implemented incrementally so that day-to-day services are not affected and new ways of working identified.

It is a statutory requirement that the Chief Executive, as head of paid service, is appointed by the full councils of each council and formal appointment processes will be followed. Peter Clark, chief executive of Oxfordshire County Council, has said he would step down if and when the joint working arrangement was agreed.

The proposed partnership is not connected to unitary reorganisation proposals, and would offer an innovative opportunity to make two tier local government more effective.

]]>Oxfordshire,council,Cherwell District Council,featured news,carouselTue, 05 Jun 2018 08:34:02 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1660/500_countyhalloxford-oxfordshirecountycouncilhq.jpg?10000Investment confirmed for improving transport in Oxfordshirehttp://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/investment-confirmed-for-improving-transport-in-oxfordshire/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/investment-confirmed-for-improving-transport-in-oxfordshire/Transport Secretary Chris Grayling MP has reconfirmed the Government’s commitment to invest in the Oxford – Cambridge Expressway, the A34 (M4-M40) and East West Rail, as part of its new transport investment strategy.

Local roads are also set to benefit from Oxfordshire County Council being given a share from a national roads fund but details of the exact proportion of money to be allocated to Oxfordshire and other councils in England have yet to be confirmed as well as the type of road which would eligible for funding.

Bev Hindle, Strategic Director for Communities at Oxfordshire County Council said: “We welcome today’s announcement from the Government, confirming their support and commitment to invest in the A34 (M4-M40), East West Rail and the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway. We will continue to talk to Government and partners about the county’s transport infrastructure strategy to ensure the needs of future generations who live, work or travel through Oxfordshire can be met and planned for.

He continued: “As the Transport Secretary said, getting transport spending right is absolutely crucial which is why the county council and members of the Oxfordshire Growth Board are working on a the development of an Oxfordshire Infrastructure Strategy which will identify, prioritise and cost Oxfordshire’s future infrastructure to 2040. We already know that existing funding will not deliver the scale of infrastructure investment required which is why we will work together to explore alternative sources of funding.

He concluded by saying: “I am delighted the Government has highlighted England’s Economic Heartland as one of a number of partnerships in England that have been created between local authorities with the aim of becoming a Strategic Transport Authority. As a co-founder of England’s Economic Heartland, the county council is working hard with eight local authorities (Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes, Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, Luton, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough) to improve physical connectivity between larger urban centres, with a particular emphasis on east-west connectivity, and improved access into and within larger urban centres.”

“Our three councils have listened to the views of residents, businesses and other organisations across Oxfordshire and worked hard to address any concerns in the final bid - and with seventy percent of those surveyed showing support for a single unitary, we know we are on the right track.

“This is a significant moment for us and for the communities of Oxfordshire, who under a new single council will receive better, simpler joined up services, saving taxpayers millions of pounds each year and ensuring good quality services for generations to come.

“We believe local government reorganisation is vital to protect council services as central government funding is reduced, and to secure the investment in infrastructure needed to support sustainable economic growth in Oxfordshire.

“It is expected that the government will make a final decision on our proposal later this year, but work is already underway to ensure all six councils work together effectively on delivering a new council for Oxfordshire in 2019.”

]]>press,news,Oxfordshire,unitary,councilThu, 23 Mar 2017 15:11:35 +0000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1660/500_betteroxfordshirebidinbox.jpg?10000Research shows support for a unitary council – as long as it’s ‘more local’http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/research-shows-support-for-a-unitary-council--as-long-as-its-more-local/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/research-shows-support-for-a-unitary-council--as-long-as-its-more-local/The results are in and residents’ voices have been heard – people want better services and a council that can respond to local community needs.

The revised proposal called “A new council for a Better Oxfordshire” responds to issues raised by residents during the public engagement exercise. It sets out how residents would benefit from joining up services such as housing and social services. The £20m saved on running six councils could be invested in improving community services and keeping council tax down.

The independent research was led by Opinion Research Services (ORS), which carried out a resident survey and resident workshops. Key findings include:

70% of Oxfordshire residents showed support for one unitary council, according to a face-to-face survey of a representative sample of residents – with majority support in every district and city council area

Once residents have an opportunity to ask questions about the proposal, they are more likely to support them

An engagement questionnaire – available to everyone with an interest - showed strongest opposition in district areas that had mounted costly campaigns against the proposals.

“Overall then, the engagement exercise reached a broad range of residents and stakeholders. In answering the question of whether there is support for the draft reconfiguration proposal, it would be fair to say that each engagement strand demonstrates some support - and indeed majority support in the representative residents' survey (which is the best guide to overall public opinion), and majority support in most of the deliberative workshops.”

The research report has been published alongside the Better Oxfordshire proposal, which has been revised to respond to feedback from an extensive public and stakeholder engagement exercise.

The original proposal of five ‘executive area boards’ has been revised to propose an increase to 15-20 area boards to make them more locally accountable and deal with far more local issues such as anti-social behaviour, parking and management of green spaces.

The revised proposals also recognise that the city of Oxford is central to Oxfordshire’s economic and cultural success. The Better Oxfordshire proposal includes an autonomous local council for Oxford, with area boards representing different parts of the city with responsibility for community and environmental services.

Most significantly, the local Oxford council will be able to raise a separate city-wide council tax (or ‘precept’), with funding going directly to community based services such as community centres.

Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said:

“We have heard the message loud and clear from residents that they would support changes to the way local government is run, as long as services improved and local communities had a stronger voice.

I would like to thank everyone who has taken part – their feedback has really helped us improve the unitary proposal, which I believe addresses many of the concerns raised.

There is clearly a silent majority who want local government to change. I am confident that the Better Oxfordshire proposal will be welcomed by residents who want to see more money spent on improving services, and less on running six councils.

I also recognise there are residents we have not managed to convince of the benefits of this proposal. I will be continuing to make the case for a new council and try to dispel some of the myths that have been put about by people who want to block change at all costs.”

Detailed findings

In a face-to-face survey of a representative sample of 500 Oxfordshire residents, 70% were in favour of abolishing the existing county, district and city councils and creating a new unitary for the whole of Oxfordshire.

The majority agreed with abolishing the six councils and setting up a unitary council in all district and city council areas, including those districts which are actively campaigning who disagreed.

78% in West Oxfordshire

75% in South Oxfordshire

69% in Oxford

67% in Vale of White Horse

63% in Cherwell.

Even allowing for the margin of error (see notes below), there was clear majority support in every district area, including Oxford city.

The engagement questionnaire – available to everyone with an interest - told a different story – two-thirds (66%) said they opposed the proposal for a single unitary, while 30% supported the idea.

Opposition to the proposal was strongest in areas where the district and city councils had campaigned against the proposal – i.e. Oxford, Cherwell and West Oxfordshire.

ORS, the independent research company, point out that engagement questionnaires are not representative of overall public opinion and can be influenced by local campaigns. The residents’ survey is therefore regarded as truer picture of public opinion.

In a series of in-depth workshops in each district area, representative groups of residents tended to become more supportive of the proposal once they had understood it. Out of 88 participants, 17 became more supportive of the proposal after they had taken part in the workshop, while six became less positive.

Across all public engagement activities, desire for ‘better services’ came through clearly as the strongest message along with the need to ensure that a single unitary council was able to respond to local priorities.

About the resident survey

Over 500 face-to-face doorstep interviews were carried out between 5–19 February 2017 by an independent social research practice, Opinion Research Services, which also designed the research methodology to achieve findings representative of the county’s residents.

Face-to-face personal interviews are considered to be the best approach for surveys (the ‘gold standard’) as this is the most inclusive method and does not suffer from the same problems as telephone or online surveys, where some residents will inevitably be excluded from the sample. This method is particularly suited to issues where respondents need to be provided with detailed information before being asked questions.

Before being asked about the draft proposal, survey respondents were informed about the current two-tier system of local government in Oxfordshire and given details about the draft proposal. Respondents were then asked a straightforward question about the extent to which they agreed or disagreed that the six councils should be abolished and replaced with one new unitary council.

To correct for response bias, statistical weighting has been applied to the completed data-set at both a district and county level to ensure that the survey is representative of the entire population aged 16+.

Overall, the results are statistically reliable to around +/- 5% at the 95% level of confidence.This means that 19 times out of 20 the survey findings will be within 5% points of the result that would have been achieved had everyone in the population been interviewed.On this basis, whilst the survey identified that overall support in the county is 70%, the actual level of support could be as high as 75% or at the lower end, 65%.

The survey results for individual districts are subject to wider confidence intervals (10-12%), but even when taking these into account there remains absolute majority support (with more than 50% agreement) across all districts.

]]>press,news,Oxfordshire,unitary,council,local government,restructureSat, 11 Mar 2017 06:15:40 +0000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1660/500_popup-2.jpg?10000Funding A40 solution to be discussedhttp://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/funding-a40-solution-to-be-discussed/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/funding-a40-solution-to-be-discussed/More than £3million could be invested in work to design major improvements to the A40.

Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet is being asked to agree to invest a total of £3.191m of development funding towards progressing design to make the 1,000 space Eynsham Park and Ride and 4 mile eastbound bus lane into Oxford a reality.

County Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “The kind of improvements we are proposing will be another step change for improving journeys following the completion of the A40 Wolvercote and Cutteslowe roundabouts.

“The funding will be used to draw up the detailed designs as the next stage of the project with the comments we received during the consultation helping to shape the plans.

”The Department for Transport has identified £35m funding for the A40 bus lane and Eynsham Park and Ride project which will be supplemented by £1.2m from funds held by Oxfordshire County Council, providing a combined scheme budget of £36.2m."

The money being considered by Cabinet would be repaid as part of the DfT funding.

Benefits for A40 users

The benefits of the project are:

· To provide a congestion free route for public transport on the A40 eastbound approach to Oxford reducing journey times for passengers.

· To encourage a shift from private cars to public transport reducing the demand for car trips on the A40.

· To stimulate economic growth within Oxford, West Oxfordshire and the Oxfordshire Knowledge Spine.

Long-term strategy for the A40

This project is the first phase of a long-term strategy which will later focus on new dual carriageway from Witney to a new Park and Ride at Eynsham as well as further bus priority lanes connecting the Eynsham Park and Ride toward Oxford.

Council transport planners are working on detailed plans to help secure more than £50m in funding for the future stages of the long-term strategy.

Future proposals to pay for infrastructure

The One Oxfordshire proposals for a new unitary council include plans for a new £1bn investment fund that could use public and private sector money to pay for the vital infrastructure the county needs.

The recent county council consultation into the park and ride and bus lane received over 600 responses from members of the public and showed 77% of respondents are supportive of public transport improvements along the A40.

Councillor Hudspeth said: “We received many comments through the consultation, particularly about the single 3m wide pedestrian cycleway on the northern side of the A40and the need to future proof the designs to accommodate the proposed housing development sites coming forward in the area.

“People also said that the proposed westbound bus lane, short sections of which will be delivered by the A40 project, should be delivered in full and that further work should focus on removing the Duke’s Cut Canal bridge pinch point.

“We will look closely at all the comments before we commence the detailed design.”

The detailed design is scheduled to be completed in April 2018, following which the construction contractor will be appointed and construction works forecasted to start in September 2018.

The team has now returned to the site after the Christmas break and have been hard at work putting up the boundary fence and the cabins, which will be used for the offices, are being delivered .

Work on the southern roundabout will begin on 19 January and this will include traffic management in the form of temporary traffic lights on the A417. These will be in place 24 hours a day with a temporary speed restriction of 30mph.This may have an effect on your journeys so plan your journeys to take this into account, especially if your journey involves leaving the village and heading towards Hagbourne Hill.

The site team will be monitoring the traffic management to try to keep any delays to a minimum.

]]>press,news,roads,council,roads and transport,business,headlines,connecting oxfordshireMon, 09 Jan 2017 10:09:41 +0000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1660/500_harwell2.jpg?10000A40 plans up for consultationhttp://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/a40-plans-up-for-consultation/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/a40-plans-up-for-consultation/People will have a chance to have their say on detailed plans for major transport improvements planned for the A40 between Witney and Oxford in the coming weeks.

Oxfordshire County Council is proposing to build a new park and ride facility in Eynsham as well as an eastbound bus lane between Eynsham park and ride and the Duke’s Cut canal bridge near Wolvercote.

The project also includes Westbound bus priority on the approaches to Cassington traffic signals and Eynsham roundabout, junction improvements between Eynsham park and ride and the Duke’s Cut canal bridge near Wolvercote along with a two way cycle path located on the northern verge .

Public exhibitions

Three public exhibitions are planned as part of a public consultation exercise which will run from 1 December 2016 until 12 January 2017.

Investing in improvements

County Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Leader of the county council, said: “The county council is investing in this infrastructure as part of a long-term strategy to improve public transport journeys on the A40 eastbound approach to Oxford and encourage a shift from private cars to public transport.

“By making public transport a viable option for more people we will hopefully see bus use rise. And the more people we get out of cars, the better the A40 will be for everyone that uses it.

“We had a great turn out the last time we held exhibitions about the A40 and I would urge anyone with an interest in the road to come along to one of the sessions to get an update and ask any questions that they have.”

This scheme is largely funded through the Local Growth Fund and the council has provisionally secured £35m toward the cost. Construction is currently programmed to take place from 2018-2020. It is expected that Eynsham park and ride will be subject to a planning application in 2017.

How to have your say

The feasibility design and plans for the Eynsham Park and Ride and A40 Bus Lane scheme will be on display at a series of exhibitions. The dates are:

Date

Time

Venue

Tuesday 6th December

11am – 3pm

Cassington Village Hall

The Green, Cassington, OX29 4AX

Saturday 10th December

12pm - 4pm

Witney Methodist Church

40 High Street, Witney, OX28 6HG

Thursday 15th December

12.30pm - 7pm

Change of venue

St Leonard’s Church Hall, Eynsham

Thames Street, Eynsham, OX29 4HF

Anyone unable to attend the consultation exhibitions can view the plans and have their say online by visiting our webpages and filling out the online questionnaire. This will be available online between the 1 December and the 12 January.www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/A40EynshamParkandRide

]]>news,roads,council,headlines,a40,Park and ride,Eynsham,Witney,Cassington,Public Transport,Buses,Bus lanes,Better transportWed, 30 Nov 2016 13:57:50 +0000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1660/500_prplans.jpg?10000 Children ‘take over’ council for the dayhttp://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/children-take-over-council-for-the-day/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/children-take-over-council-for-the-day/Children from Oxfordshire schools tried their hands at being councillors for the day as part of an event to promote the voices of young people.

Around 40 young people aged between 12 and 17 ‘took over’ the council chamber at County Hall to debate and cast votes on issues such as ‘Brexit’, votes for 16-year-olds and whether to bring back grammar schools. They met council Leader Ian Hudspeth and other councillors, and got the chance to quiz them about their role.

New youth forum

Group discussions also took place about the formation of a new youth forum to advise on future decisions made by local councils, NHS and voluntary organisations. Its aim will be to reach out to more children and young people in the county than ever before, and to identify the issues that matter most.

The young people took part in brainstorming exercises and were invited to come up with a name for the new forum in a Dragons Den-style exercise.

The young people worked in groups on plans for a new Oxfordshire youth forum - and had some fun with post-it notes.

Find your voice

Takeover Day also showcased some of the work of around 400 young people on a project called Find Your Voice, held by the council’s Library Service throughout 2015. The participants produced videos, plays, soundscapes and written poems expressing their views about life today, and what they wanted to change. Some of those who took part discussed their views further with councillors.

The council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Family Services Melinda Tilley said: “It is so important to encourage young people to find out about local parliament and democracy, and even more important for councillors to hear what young people think about local and national issues.”

Cabinet Member for Cultural Services Lorraine Lindsay-Gale added: “The Find Your Voice project showed that children and young people in Oxfordshire are very engaged and care passionately about the issues affecting them and their communities. It was great to meet them and hear some strong views and lively debate.”

The £6.7m project took first place in the Environment and Landscape category in recognition of the transformation of the major gateway into the city from being dominated by standing traffic and traffic lights to a pleasant open space with a free-flowing lane for traffic.

Positive local contribution

County Councillor David Nimmo Smith, Cabinet member for transport, said: “I am delighted that all the hard work put in by everyone connected with the Frideswide Square project has been recognised.

“Frideswide Square is a clear example of how the county council is delivering high quality strategic infrastructure that also contributes to places in a positive way and really adds value above and beyond simply dealing with traffic.

“Traffic flows have also improved as we had hoped with queue lengths into the square reducing by up to 93%. Since its launch people have got used to the new shared-space layout and we are pleased with how it has been working.

“The fact that it is a prestigious organisation based in the city like the Oxford Preservation Trust making the award makes it extra-special as these are people with real local knowledge and pride in the area.”

Debbie Dance, Director of the Oxford Preservation Trust, said: “We are all so lucky to live in this great city and this is our favourite OPT event. It is our way of being able to recognise the projects that are making such a positive contribution to Oxford, and the people behind them”

Paul Durham, Business Director at Skanska, commented: “We are delighted that this project has scooped such a prestigious award. It is recognition of the hard work that everybody involved has put into delivering the improvements to this busy gateway into the city.”

Central boulevard design

Work on the main part of the square, which was carried out for the county council by its contractors Skanska, started in February 2015 and was finished in December 2015.

Pedestrians now have vast areas of space while cyclists can now choose to take on or off road routes. All traffic now travels along one central boulevard carriageway with courtesy pedestrian crossings replacing the old signal controlled crossings.

The old traffic lights were replaced by three roundabouts and there are now more than 37,000 cars, vans and light goods vehicle movements and around 5,000 lorries and bus movements going through the new “free flow” arrangements in a normal day.

The design of the square is based on “shared space” which largely removes the segregation of pedestrians and vehicles. This is done by removing features such as multiple lanes of traffic, traffic lights, and introducing low kerbs and courtesy crossing points.

]]>news,press,roads,council,roads and transport,Oxfordshire,OxfordThu, 03 Nov 2016 13:53:00 +0000https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1660/500_frideswideoptaward.jpg?10000Council appoints new directorshttp://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/council-appoints-new-directors/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/council-appoints-new-directors/Oxfordshire County Council has announced the appointment of new directors for Children’s Services and Adult Services.

Current Deputy Director for Children’s Social Care Lucy Butler has taken on the role of Director for Children’s Services, while Deputy Director for Joint Commissioning Kate Terroni has been appointed to the Director for Adult Services role.

They will be replacing outgoing directors Jim Leivers for children’s services, and John Jackson for adult services.

Lucy Butler

Lucy has 25 years’ experience working across Adults and Children’s Social Care, and has made a significant difference to the lives of many children and their families since taking on her current role three years ago.

She has led the council through two successful Ofsted inspections and helped the development in Oxfordshire of a nationally recognised child sexual exploitation strategy. This has led to children at risk of child sexual exploitation being effectively identified and protected, and has influenced practice in all agencies offering support to children and young people.

Lucy said: “I’m delighted to be given this opportunity and looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead. As deputy director I’ve already been privileged to work alongside some very dedicated and talented people - here at the council, at schools and other partner agencies, across local communities - who all share the goal of making Oxfordshire the best possible place for children to grow up in, and helping young people lead safe, secure and happy lives.

“I’m looking forward to strengthening those relationships so we can continue to transform our services in ways which improve the lives of Oxfordshire residents. I also want to work directly with children and young people to ensure they have a say in their future.”

Kate Terroni

Since joining the council three years ago, Kate has led the council’s safeguarding service and operational services. As Deputy Director for Joint Commissioning she has overseen the delivery of new Help to Live at Home contracts, and led on the adult social care workforce strategy - recognised nationally as an example of good practice.

Kate has helped lead the council’s response to the most significant piece of social care legislation in 60 years - the introduction of the Care Act 2014. She also has experience of hospital social work, learning disabilities and services for older people.

She said: “I’m delighted to be appointed to this role and excited by the opportunity to transform our services so that the most vulnerable in our society can continue to get the support which enables them to live independently within our community.

“Oxfordshire has a strong track record of involving service users and families in the design of our services, and as director, I want to ensure this continues, and is further embedded in all of our work.”

Arrangements are in place with the outgoing Directors to ensure a successful transition moving forward from today, with full handover of statutory responsibilities in December.

]]>press,news,children,schools,families,care,education,parents,council,Children education and families,social and health care,young people,education and learning,information for childcare providers,social care careers,adult social care,childcareTue, 01 Nov 2016 13:01:36 +0000https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1660.jpg?10000Lights switch on marks start of new roundabout systemhttp://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/lights-switch-on-marks-start-of-new-roundabout-system/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/lights-switch-on-marks-start-of-new-roundabout-system/Work on two major roundabouts on the A40 in north Oxford is nearing completion.

Traffic lights on Cutteslowe roundabout have been switched on joining those on Wolvercote roundabout which went live a couple of weeks ago.

The lights will now be monitored as traffic flows return to normal levels, drivers get used to the new layouts and the arrangements bed in. It is expected to take time for the benefits of the computer controlled traffic lights, extra lanes and other measures to take effect.

This switch on marks the completion of most of the work that people travelling through the area will notice. Only minor work needs to be done over the next few weeks.

A massive challenge

County Councillor David Nimmo Smith, Cabinet member for transport, said:

“After a great deal of hard work we are now at the stage where motorists, cyclists and pedestrians can consider work is finished. The new lights and lanes are all set up, crossings are switched on and the roads widened.

“I would like to thank all those who have experienced inconvenience during the work including residents and drivers. Hopefully now all will start to see the benefits of the work we’ve done as the digging and construction becomes a distant memory.

“I would also like to pay tribute to the team who delivered this scheme. What you see now is only a part of the picture as so much work has been done below the ground to move and safeguard things like water, gas and electricity supplies as well as broadband cables.

“It was a massive challenge to do all this work in such a constrained area while all the major routes were open to normal traffic.

“People will obviously notice a difference once all the cones go and the lights are up and running. These improvements will provide a substantial increase in capacity that had it not been completed now would have limited Oxford’s long term investment. It will bring improvements for now and for the future.”

Overhauled and improved

Both roundabouts and the approach roads have been remodelled and improved over the last 14 months. This is the first stage of a package of highway improvements for North Oxford to ensure infrastructure is in place to support the planned growth and development across the area.

The two roundabouts currently take in the region of 100,000 vehicle movements a day between them and the new traffic lights will allow the county council to manage traffic flows across the area.

Improvements for drivers are only part of the picture as new facilities, such as crossings for pedestrians and cyclists, have been added where there didn’t used to be any.

A total of £10m has been invested in improvements which include:

New traffic lights on both roundabouts which will be monitored through our UTMC (Urban Traffic Management Control) system

Widening of the main approaches at A40 and A44 approaches to both roundabouts

New pedestrian and cycle crossing facilities

New off-carriageway cycle facilities

New and reduced speed limits on the A40 and A44 approaches to both roundabouts

Resurfacing, street lighting and drainage

Meeting the challenges of the future

The Cutteslowe and Wolvercote scheme has been delivered ahead of a number of potential major developments which include the development of the Northern Gateway and housing and employment growth in west and north Oxfordshire. It will also help deal with increased demand brought by the new rail station next to Water Eaton park and ride (Oxford Parkway).

“We will closely monitor the performance of the new arrangements in days and months ahead as we always would with new road layouts.”

Nigel Tipple, Chief Executive the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, which was instrumental in unlocking central government funding for this major infrastructure project, said: “We are delighted to see the works completed ahead of schedule and on budget.

“Funded through the Oxfordshire City Deal programme, the improvements are designed not only to improve accessibility and reduce congestion for local residents, but also to support development at Northern Gateway and beyond by linking to future A40 improvements and Headington Eastern Arc.”

NOTES TO EDITORS: MOVA stands for Microprocessor Optimised Vehicle Actuation (MOVA) and is used across the UK, including in Oxfordshire, to coordinate traffic lights so that they are more responsive to traffic conditions.

]]>news,press,roads,council,oxford,roadworks,a40,business,transport,roads and transportMon, 03 Oct 2016 08:32:04 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1660/500_img-3113.jpg?10000Oxfordshire councils work together to tackle Oxford housing shortagehttp://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxfordshire-councils-work-together-to-tackle-oxford-housing-shortage/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxfordshire-councils-work-together-to-tackle-oxford-housing-shortage/A proposed solution for the delivery of Oxford’s unmet housing need involving an apportionment to each district is to be discussed by the Oxfordshire Growth Board on September 26th.

The results of the Oxfordshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) published in 2014 established the overall housing need for each district planning area. The councils in Oxfordshire generally agree that Oxford City is not able to fully accommodate its need within its boundaries. Government requires neighbouring areas to cooperate in such circumstances and an agreement was reached that assistance would be needed from other districts in Oxfordshire to meet Oxford’s unmet need. Senior officers for all of Oxfordshire’s councils set up a programme of work to address this issue.

The Oxfordshire Growth Board will meet to agree a proposed apportionment of 15,000 homes but will not make decisions on where in each district housing growth will go. Each Local Planning Authority has the responsibility of doing this in their Local Plans. The Growth Board will consider a body of jointly produced work with a view to reaching a cooperative agreement on how Oxford’s unmet housing need should be distributed across the county. This work has involved consideration of the level of unmet housing need, the sustainability of broad growth options, a study of the Green Belt, transport and infrastructure issues.

The report to be presented on Sept 26 recommends that the Growth Board:

approve the apportionment of the agreed working figure for the unmet housing need for Oxford

approve a Memorandum of Co-operation setting out the apportionment and timetable for delivery of the unmet housing need for Oxford

formally recommend the approved apportionment to each of the Oxfordshire Local Planning Authorities for consideration in the preparation of their Local Plans, in the interest of meeting the objectively assessed housing needs for Oxfordshire.

Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council and Chair of the Oxfordshire Growth Board, said:

“It is a well-known fact that housing is a major issue in Oxfordshire, with no easy answers, so it’s important that we all work together to consider the housing needs of the county in the context of economic growth.

“The Oxfordshire Growth Board enables local government and representatives from education, transport and local business to focus on resolving county-wide issues such as housing in a co-ordinated and sustainable way.

“It is welcome news that the Oxfordshire Growth Board now has a comprehensive, county-wide evidence base which is needed to consider a fair and sustainable way to share Oxford’s housing needs beyond the Oxford boundary.”

The Oxfordshire Growth Board is a joint committee of the six councils of Oxfordshire, set up to facilitate and enable joint working on economic development, strategic planning and growth. It does this by:

advising on matters of collective interest, to seek agreement on local priorities and influence relevant local, regional and national bodies

overseeing the delivery of projects that the councils of Oxfordshire are seeking to deliver collaboratively in the fields of economic development and strategic planning and those agreed in the City Deal and Local Growth Deals that fall to the councils, working collaboratively, to deliver and has an overall responsibility to manage these programmes of work alongside the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP).

The meetings are administered and hosted on a rota basis and currently Oxfordshire County Council is the hosting authority.

The Oxfordshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) was commissioned jointly by all the Oxfordshire district councils supported by Oxfordshire County Council and published in 2014. It was a technical study intended to help the Oxfordshire local planning authorities understand how many homes will be needed in the period 2011 – 2031. It also considers the housing needs of specific groups such as older people, minority groups and people with disabilities and what housing growth will be needed to support the economy.

]]>press,news,Homes,Economy,roads,community,oxford,council,business,Businesses,jobs,South Oxfordshire,Cherwell,South and Vale,Oxford City,District Councils,County Council,housingFri, 16 Sep 2016 16:07:51 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1660/500_shutterstock-209608081.jpg?10000Council leader talks about potential future local government structures and savingshttp://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/council-leader-talks-about-potential-future-local-government-structures-and-savings/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/council-leader-talks-about-potential-future-local-government-structures-and-savings/Turkeys don’t vote for Christmas. That was how a letter writer to the Oxford Mail described local politicians’ approach to changing local government in Oxfordshire, writes Oxfordshire County Council leader Ian Hudspeth"He meant that no council leader would want to see their own council abolished to be replaced by a wholly new structure – even if that new structure was better and more efficient.

In my case, your correspondent could not be more wrong – I’m counting down to Christmas!

To remind readers, the question here is whether it would be better to have fewer councils in Oxfordshire, instead of the current two-tier structure of one county council with five city and district councils.

Two reports were published last month looking at the financial impact of reorganisation. One was commissioned by the county council and the other by the five districts. Both showed that we could save over £100m over five years with one council for Oxfordshire instead of the current six. Three councils covering the north, the south and Oxford city would also save money, but not nearly as much.

The Oxford Mail letter writer clearly believes that politicians are thinking about their own futures rather than the taxpayer.

As far as I am concerned the local government reorganisation debate is not about me or my job. Under any new structure all politicians would have to stand for elections to a brand new council. Nobody will be guaranteed a seat, let alone the position of leader.

Some people say that there’ll never be local agreement and that we should forget the idea of re-organising altogether and stick with the status quo. Others, including me, continue to argue for change in order to deliver better services and reduce costs.

With demand for council services rising, we can’t turn our back on more than £100m and I am committed to finding a way to make those savings. Every pound saved is a pound not spent on multiple council bureaucracies that can be used to improve services. This is surely what the public want and expect?

Council leadersin Oxfordshire have a great opportunity to put the interests of residents and service users first. Not one but two firms of local government experts say change would be better than the status quo. If we miss this opportunity, we’ll all be judged harshly by the public.

I know that finance isn’t the only thing to consider. Any new council must be set up to meet the different needs of all Oxfordshire communities and be locally accountable, working closely with local groups such as parish and town councils who are the bedrock of our communities.

They have told us they want a greater say in decisions affecting their communities. They should have it.

There is no doubt that changing the way local government works in Oxfordshire would be a big decision.That’s why county councillors will have a chance to discuss the options at across-party scrutiny committee meeting next week. District councillors are also holding debates in their own formal meetings, including Cherwell earlier this week.

I will be listening carefully to points raised in all of those debate. It will be hard to reach an agreement and may not be possible, but I think we as politicians have a responsibility to try harder.

I hope that members of our scrutiny committee will conclude that saving the most money to protect services should be our number one priority. I believe that’s what residents rightly expect and it is what I am committed to trying to deliver.

Christmas is three months away and, as ever, turkeys won’t get a vote. However politiciansin Oxfordshire have the opportunity of saving more than £100m over five years. That is something I personally would vote for. Why not ask your local councillor where they stand?"

]]>press,news,council,unitaryFri, 09 Sep 2016 11:36:00 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1660/500_hudspethian1.jpg?10000Review of future options for local government in Oxfordshirehttp://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/review-of-future-options-for-local-government-in-oxfordshire/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/review-of-future-options-for-local-government-in-oxfordshire/

Today sees the publication of the Grant Thornton report into future options for Oxfordshire.

]]>community,council,grant thornton,unitary,news,media,pressWed, 17 Aug 2016 08:00:00 +0100https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1660.jpg?10000County council to campaign for better rail links in Oxfordshirehttp://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/county-council-to-campaign-for-better-rail-links-in-oxfordshire/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/county-council-to-campaign-for-better-rail-links-in-oxfordshire/Extra rail capacity between Oxford and Didcot, new rail services from Oxfordshire to Heathrow Airport and major upgrades to Oxford and Didcot railway stations are on a list of improvements the county council will campaign to see delivered in coming years.Extra rail capacity between Oxford and Didcot, new rail services from Oxfordshire to Heathrow Airport and major upgrades to Oxford and Didcot railway stations are on a list of improvements the county council will campaign to see delivered in coming years.

The council’s cabinet will be asked to approve a new rail strategy at its meeting on June 28. The strategy contains a list of improvements that it will lobby the rail industry to deliver in the future, linked to the council’s wider “Connecting Oxfordshire” objectives.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, the Leader of Oxfordshire County Council said: “Clearly the council does not have direct responsibility for the rail industry but we do have a responsibility to strongly stand up for Oxfordshire when it comes to getting our share of national finances to deliver local improvements.

“Obviously the railways interact very closely with every other form of transport in Oxfordshire and our joint partnership working with the rail industry is crucial to seeing through positive change that will benefit us for decades to come.

“The Oxfordshire public is familiar with many of our long-standing hopes – such as the opening of the Cowley branch line to passenger traffic and completion of East West Rail, building on the first phase opening making it possible to reach London Marylebone direct from Oxford.”

“We continue to campaign for those ambitions just as much as the more recent aspirations. We want to ensure that our county speaks with one strong strategic voice for the whole of Oxfordshire, not just small parts of it – seeking to make sure improvements in rail and other transport modes are synchronised and linked”

GWR Regional Development Manager Tom Pierpoint said: “We at GWR recognise the importance of rail to the economic prosperity of the communities we serve, and it is great to see Oxfordshire County Council share that vision. The Rail Strategy clearly shows a wide focus on key projects including improvements at Didcot, the Didcot to Oxford corridor, the North Cotswolds line from Oxford to the west, and better airport connections.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the authority, and to further build on the improvements that electrification of the line to Oxford and new electric trains will bring.”

What are the improvements that the council would like to see?

Promotion of a major upgrade to Oxford station, including additional platforms, through-lines and a new station building and transport interchange

Increased passenger and freight capacity between Didcot and Oxford, including opportunities for an expansion of Culham station

Development of the next stage of upgrades to Didcot Parkway station, including new multi-storey car park, northern entrance and new station building

Opening of the Cowley rail line to passenger services, with new stations serving the Oxford Science and Business parks

Promotion and support, with the Local Enterprise Partnership, for direct rail services from Oxfordshire to Heathrow Airport

Supporting the East West Rail consortium and Network Rail in the design and delivery of East West Rail Phase 2 to extend the line further East, with Phase 1 now almost complete (creating the new Oxford Parkway Station, linking the city and Bicester Village with London Marylebone)

Supporting, through a consortium approach with partner authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships, further capacity and service enhancements on the Cotswold Line, including upgrades to stations, bus and cycle connections

Development of a business case for a proposed new station in the Grove/Wantage area, assuming a future rail service linking Bristol and Swindon to Oxford and beyond;

Better Integration of rail and strategic bus/rapid transit networks as part of Science Transit

]]>travel,news,press,council,connecting oxfordshire,roads & transport,oxfordTue, 21 Jun 2016 07:59:00 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1660/500_iantrain.jpg?10000Oxfordshire County Council’s adult social care teams among the best in Englandhttp://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxfordshire-county-councils-adult-social-care-teams-among-the-best-in-england/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxfordshire-county-councils-adult-social-care-teams-among-the-best-in-england/Oxfordshire County Council is in the top six local authorities in England for delivering good outcomes for service users of adult social care and for informal carers.

The county council has been ranked sixth out of 152 upper-tier authorities - which includes all of England’s county councils, Metropolitan councils, and Unitary councils.

]]>The information comes from the Adult Social Care outcomes framework for 2014-15 published by the Department of Health. The ranking of sixth is based on the number of times Oxfordshire appeared above average. This showed the county council to be the sixth best in the nation.

Excellent feedback

Councillor Judith Heathcoat, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care said: “I was thrilled to learn that our adult social care services have received such excellent feedback as regards our performance in delivering good outcomes for people,

“I have ensured that our staff have heard the message loud and clear that this proves that they operate to the highest standards and that this is a reflection of their dedicated work in ensuring that those in receipt of our services are satisfied.

Achievement despite adversity

Councillor Heathcoat added: “Our staff work tirelessly with the sole purpose of making sure vulnerable people receive the right level of support. It is wonderful to be able to inform the people of Oxfordshire that their adult social care services are is not only in very good hands but is also among the very best on offer in the whole of England.

“It should also be remembered that this fantastic outcome has been delivered at a time when local government is entering its seventh straight year of cuts – so it has been achieved despite a real measure of adversity.”

Committed and professional staff

Paul Cann, Chief Executive of Age UK Oxfordshire said: “Clearly those who pass the threshold for social care support are well served in Oxfordshire. It is great that these people are supported to live independently, with dignity, in their communities. That Oxfordshire manages to do this against a background of the long-term, chronic underfunding of adult social care is to the county council’s credit, and in particular reflects well on its committed and professional staff.”

]]>council,care,adult social care,social care careersMon, 13 Jun 2016 09:00:00 +0100https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1660.jpg?10000Bicester youngsters mark the Queen’s birthday with artworkhttp://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/bicester-youngsters-mark-the-queens-birthday-with-artwork/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/bicester-youngsters-mark-the-queens-birthday-with-artwork/Schoolchildren from Bicester have made their own contribution to the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations.

The new Chairman of the county council, Councillor Michael Waine, arranged for each of the Bicester schools to produce canvasses depicting each decade of the Queen’s life, in celebration of her birthday.

The canvasses are to be on display at County Hall in the corridor leading to the Common Hall. Pupils from the schools will be present at County Hall at 4pm on Thursday, June 9 as the Lord Lieutenant, the Queen’s representative in Oxfordshire, unveils the artwork.

Councillor Waine, who represents Bicester Town, at County Hall, said: “Having already seen some of the artwork I can confirm that it is of a very high standard and I am sure councillors, council employees and members of the public will enjoy it a great deal.

“The 90th birthday of a monarch is an event of huge significance and it is wonderful for young people from Bicester to be able to celebrate it in a way that also expresses their creativity and talents.”

From the beginning of July the artwork will be moved to the new Bicester library in time for the official opening ceremony.

Schools to have taken part in the project are:

Bardwell School

Brookside Primary School

Bure Park Primary School

Glory Farm Primary / Bicester Learning Academy

King's Meadow School

Langford Village Community Primary School

Longfields Primary School and Nursery

Southwold Primary School

St Edburg's Church of England (VA) School, Bicester

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Bicester

The Bicester School

The Cooper School

]]>bicester,queen's birthday,council,children,education,leisure,schoolsMon, 06 Jun 2016 23:00:00 +0100https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1660.jpg?10000Oxfordshire people invited to show support for Armed Forceshttp://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/armed-forces-support/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/armed-forces-support/People from Oxfordshire are warmly invited to attend a special flag raising ceremony at Oxford Castle to mark and raise awareness of the role of the armed forces and their strong contribution to life in the county.

The flag will be raised at 11am on Monday June 20, and members of the public are invited to arrive at 10:30am. There will be photo opportunities for the media during this period.

The event will bring together senior representatives of the Armed Forces community in Oxfordshire from Oxford University Officers’ Training Corps, RAF Brize Norton, Bicester Garrison, Abingdon Station, Dalton Barracks, Shrivenham Station HQ, 7 Rifles, the Royal Navy and cadets from across the county.

Local dignitaries will include Councillor Michael Waine, Chairman of Oxfordshire County Council, Tim Stevenson, Lord-Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Sarah Taylor, High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, Peter Clark, County Director at Oxfordshire County Council, Superintendent Kath Lowe, Cllr Mohammed Altaf-Khan, Lord-Mayor of Oxford, Cllr Jeanette Matlot, Vice-Chairman of South Oxfordshire District Council, Cllr Reg Waite, Vice-Chairman of Vale of White Horse District Council, Cllr Maurice Billington, Chairman of Cherwell District Council and several town Mayors/Deputy-Mayors.

Armed Forces Day is celebrated annually to raise awareness of the contribution made to the country by those who serve and have served in the Armed Forces.

It is also an opportunity for the nation to show its support for the whole of the Armed Forces community, from serving personnel to Service families, veterans and cadets. Across the country people are getting involved: communities hold local events and business show their support.

Respect and gratitude

County Council Chairman Councillor Michael Waine said: “Oxfordshire is a county with a very long tradition of strong connections with the armed forces.

“It is right that we in Oxfordshire should join with the rest of the nation on an annual basis to recognise the part that the forces play in our day to day lives as well as in protecting the country.

“As County Councillor for Bicester Town I fully realise the important part played by our Armed Services in the life of our nation. Bicester as a Garrison Town has extremely strong links with the army, and past links with the RAF. The armed forces are definitely part of our community belonging to local organisations, attending local churches, and with their children attending local schools.”

“I look forward to welcoming the various representatives of the armed forces to Oxford Castle on Monday, June 20 and I hope members of the public will join us to express their respect and gratitude.”

]]>council,armed forces,communityMon, 06 Jun 2016 23:00:00 +0100https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1660.jpg?10000How should council services be run in Oxfordshire?http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/how-should-council-services-be-run-in-oxfordshire/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/how-should-council-services-be-run-in-oxfordshire/The public has been asked for ideas and information by the independent consultants conducting a review of local government in Oxfordshire.Notes to editors

You can read the full proposal: A new council for a Better Oxfordshire at: www.betteroxfordshire.org

About the survey 

502 quota controlled interviews of residents aged 16+ were conducted between 5 and 19 February 2017.  To correct for response bias, statistical weighting has been applied to the completed dataset at both a district and county level to ensure that the survey is representative of the entire population aged 16+. 

Overall, the results are statistically reliable to around +/- 5% at the 95% level of confidence. This means that 19 times out of 20 the survey findings will be within 5% points of the result that would have been achieved had everyone in the population been interviewed.

On this basis, whilst the survey identified that overall support in the county is 70%, the actual level of support could be as high as 75% or at the lower end, 65%. 

The survey results for individual districts are subject to wider confidence intervals, but even when taking these into account there remains absolute majority support (with more than 50% agreement) across all districts.

Patsy Cusworth, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Council on 01235 422400 patsy.cusworth@southandvale.gov.uk

]]>Last week Oxfordshire County Council appointed Grant Thornton UK LLP to consider how local government could be reorganised to reduce costs and protect vital services.

The firm will look to identify the model for local government that provides the best services and value to council tax payers and business rate payers in Oxfordshire, and offers the savings needed to ensure long-term viability.

As part of the review, Grant Thornton is asking the public and key stakeholders such as voluntary groups and public service providers in Oxfordshire and other localities covered by this study. Views can be submitted online here or to the address below.

The submissions can relate to anything relevant to a review of local government structure and public service delivery. In particular, Grant Thornton is looking for views on the following:

Service delivery and outcomes: how can council service delivery and outcomes be improved, particularly for the most vulnerable? (A list of the main district and county councils can be found here

Cost savings and value for money: long-term financial sustainability is crucial, so how can any changes deliver significant cost savings and drive value for money?

Stronger leadership: what changes could provide stronger and more accountable strategic and local leadership?

Economic growth and infrastructure: how can we drive economic growth, and meet the challenges we have around infrastructure?

Local engagement and empowerment: what new structures do we need to engage with communities and empower local areas?

Any submissions will go directly to Grant Thornton to ensure independence and will not be sent to Oxfordshire County Council. An analysis of survey results will be included in Grant Thornton's final report, but views and information will not be attributed to individuals.

The county council has also convened an independent advisory group to support the review by Grant Thornton, and evidence provided by the public, service users and other stakeholders will help shape their thinking.

Grant Thornton was selected because of its experience of working with a number of councils across the UK currently tackling the same challenges, as well as those that have recently become unitaries. Grant Thornton also has a strong partnership with CIPFA, the public sector accountancy professional body, which provides up-to-date information on local government costs and services.

]]>news,councilMon, 23 May 2016 12:16:00 +0100https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1660/500_consultationlogoalt.jpg?10000Statement on “Coxit cock-up” as Cotswold and South Northamptonshire district councils drop out of unitary bidhttp://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/statement-on-coxit-cock-up-as-cotswold-and-south-northamptonshire-district-councils-drop-out-of-unitary-bid/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/statement-on-coxit-cock-up-as-cotswold-and-south-northamptonshire-district-councils-drop-out-of-unitary-bid/Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Local Government Affairs has responded to a press release titled 'District Council Leaders rule out cross-boundary unitary solution' issued today (19 May).
]]>Commenting on the press release Cllr Nick Carter said:

“Losing one district could be considered unlucky but losing two on the same day looks like a shambles. They have hastily carved up the county again with no thought about the best way to deliver good council services.

This isn’t Plan B or even Plan C. They have already asked their consultants to look at four options, and none of them is the one put forward today.

The reality is that three or four small unitary councils just won’t work after the government said new councils need a population of at least 300,000 to be financially viable. Oxford city has half that number.

The district study is looking at the city doubling in size, with a second unitary council managing the left overs. It is time for the people of Oxfordshire to understand the city council’s ambition to expand its borders beyond Kidlington, Eynsham, Wheatley and Abingdon.

There is going to be a land grab, which either the districts haven’t seen coming, or have already secretly agreed to.”

New district proposals after Plan A Fails

1. The Districts’ proposal

The Districts’ proposal for future governance is for four new Unitary Authorities, and the creation of a Combined Authority as the vehicle both for collective commissioning and for effective shared service delivery

A Southern Oxfordshire Unitary - covering the area currently administered by Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire District Councils serving a population of 261,867.

An Oxford City Unitary -covering the area currently administered by Oxford City Council serving a population of 157,997.

A West Oxfordshire & Cotswold Unitary - covering the area currently administered by West Oxfordshire District Council and Cotswold District Council serving a population of 192,795.

A Cherwell & South Northants Unitary - covering the area currently administered by Cherwell District Council and South Northamptonshire Council serving a population of 232,658.

2. An alternative option of 3 Unitary authorities:

If progress cannot be made on the cross boundary proposed option then the Districts alternative option would be a three Unitary option within the County Boundary consisting of:

A Southern Oxfordshire Unitary - covering the area currently administered by Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire District Councils serving a population of 261,867.

An Oxford City Unitary -covering the area currently administered by Oxford City Council serving a population of 157,997.

A Northern Oxfordshire Unitary Authority covering the area currently administered by Cherwell District Council and West Oxfordshire District Council serving a population of 252,700.

3. A comparator “donut” option of 2 Unitary authorities:

An Oxford City Unitary based on the existing boundaries of Oxford City Council and an expanded boundary to serve a population of between 250,000 - 300,000

A Unitary Authority covering the remaining area of Oxfordshire outside the City Unitary serving a population of between 370,000 – 430,000

4. A single Unitary Authority

Covering the area administered by Oxfordshire County Council, serving a population 672,500

5. Four unitary authorities based on the following district council areas:

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse – serving a population of 261,867

Cherwell – serving a population of 144,494

West Oxfordshire – serving a population of 108,158

Oxford City – serving a population of 157,997

]]>unitary,oneoxfordshire,council,communityWed, 18 May 2016 23:00:00 +0100https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1660.jpg?10000County council appoints local government experts to review ‘unitary’ optionshttp://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/county-council-appoints-local-government-experts-to-review-unitary-options/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/county-council-appoints-local-government-experts-to-review-unitary-options/Oxfordshire County Council has appointed Grant Thornton UK LLP to consider how local government could be reorganised to reduce costs and protect vital services.

Grant Thornton’s brief is to undertake an objective, evidence-led review of all options, including the status quo. Alternative options could include the creation of one or more new ‘unitary’ councils, which would be responsible for all local government services rather than the current split between the county and districts.

The firm will look to identify the model for local government that provides the best services and value to council tax payers and business rate payers in Oxfordshire, and offers the savings needed to ensure long term viability.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said:

“Grant Thornton impressed us with their knowledge of local government and commitment to conducting an independent study that looked carefully at all the options equally.

I am convinced local government needs to change in Oxfordshire, and it is vital that we make the right decision to protect council services for the future.

The key issue for me is not about structures but more about how we can join up services efficiently to provide the best possible services for the people of Oxfordshire.

Council tax payers will want to know the facts so they can make up their own minds, and that is what this independent review will provide. We will be publishing the findings as soon as we have them so we can involve everyone in that debate. After all, it is about our future.”

The county council is assembling an independent advisory group to support the work of Grant Thornton, overseen by an independent chairman. The advisory group will offer impartial advice and local knowledge to ensure Grant Thornton fully understands the long-term challenges and opportunities for local government in Oxfordshire.

The experienced Grant Thornton team includes two former council chief executives, and former senior local government officers.

Grant Thornton was selected because of its experience of working with a number of councils across the UK currently tackling the same challenges, as well as those that have recently become unitaries. Grant Thornton also has a strong partnership with CIPFA, the public sector accountancy professional body, which provides up-to-date information on local government costs and services.

Grant Thornton is on the government’s approved supplier list for consultancy services. The firm has worked with local authorities for over thirty years, and is the fifth largest accountancy firm in the UK.

The county council’s brief asked Grant Thornton to consider local government structures that would address the following points:

Service Delivery and Outcomes: reforms should improve local service delivery and outcomes, particularly for the most vulnerable,

Local Engagement and Empowerment: new structures should engage with communities and empower local areas

Guy Clifton, Head of Local Government Advisory at Grant Thornton commented:

“We are pleased to have been appointed by the council, to support them in this key area of strategic planning. Through our partnership we hope to help ensure a sustainable future for local government services for the communities and businesses of Oxfordshire.

“As a firm, we are committed to creating a vibrant economy in the UK, which will allow businesses, communities and people to flourish. As part of this, we are helping public sector organisations rethink the way they operate and looking at how better collaboration and innovation in the sector can help build stronger public services for the future.”

]]>council,unitaryMon, 09 May 2016 23:00:00 +0100https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1660.jpg?10000County Council responds on unitary councils issuehttp://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/county-council-responds-on-unitary-councils-issue/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/county-council-responds-on-unitary-councils-issue/The press release “urged the county council” to work with district councils on a joint study into unitary local government in the future.

In response to the latest district council press release Councillor Ian Hudspeth, the Leader of Oxfordshire County Council said:

“We will know that the district councils are serious about partnership working when they talk to us before issuing press releases telling us what we should be doing.

"What we proposed from the start was a proper independent study treating all options equally with proper involvement from all partners, this was ignored by the Districts who have commissioned a study designed to give them the answer they seek. They have said they have amended the study and asked us to join, yet we still have not seen those changes. What they seem to be trying to do is repair a deeply flawed tender, which we have no confidence can be achieved. We have no alternative but to do our own study and invite key stakeholders to participate.

“Yesterday the county council published an invitation to tender for an independent study that would look at all the options for local government reform. We would be happy to pause this process and talk to the districts about a joint, independently commissioned study. But until they are actually prepared to talk to us rather than issue media statements, we are continuing to proceed.”

Notes to Editors

The earlier version of the district council tendering document that they now claim they have changed but have yet to share the proof of this with the county council, read as follows: 2.17 For the avoidance of doubt, neither of the comparator options will gain District approval because they create Unitaries outside the City that would cover a very diverse range of localities and interests which cannot be easily reflected. Larger scale organisations inevitably produce diseconomies from poor internal communication chains and tensions between local delivery and central control. In addition, the County is currently struggling to manage its budget and drive effective transformation of its services. We do not believe this would change under a County-wide unitary model.

Oxfordshire County Council believes an independent study should focus on the following areas, with each criteria scored separately to show the relative strengths and weaknesses of different models:

Improving local service delivery and outcomes, particularly for the most vulnerable

Providing stronger and more accountable strategic and local leadership

Driving economic growth and meet the infrastructure challenge

Engaging with communities and empowering local areas.

]]>press,councilFri, 01 Apr 2016 12:41:25 +0100https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1660.jpg?10000County council’s political leaders call for public debate on ‘One Oxfordshire’http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/county-councils-political-leaders-call-for-public-debate-on-one-oxfordshire/
http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/county-councils-political-leaders-call-for-public-debate-on-one-oxfordshire/In a joint response to devolution proposals put forward last week by the four district councils and city council, the leaders call for a genuine public debate on the most efficient and effective way to deliver public services – and to let the people of Oxfordshire decide.

Key Points

New proposal lacks clarity and would retain two layers of local government with ‘quasi-unitary’ councils and ‘combined authority’ quango covering three counties

Unclear which organisations have backed this option, and the county council not consulted despite delivering 80 per cent of local government services

New proposal announced before government responded to a full devolution bid submitted on behalf of all the county’s councils

County council backs a single council for ‘One Oxfordshire’ as the most efficient and effective

The Oxfordshire people should decide the best way forward – once in possession of the full facts about the implications for each proposal

Full statement

Last week the four districts and city councils announced plans to create four ‘quasi-unitary’ authorities for Oxfordshire, with bits of Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire bolted on. Oxford city would have its own council, with three other councils made up of pairs of districts covering the north, west and south of the county.

This announcement came as the ink was barely dry on a devolution bid to government on behalf of all the county’s councils, which could have coordinated £6.6bn investment in infrastructure and put the control of £1.3bn health and care budgets in the hands of the people of Oxfordshire.

Now, before government has even responded to the first proposal, a new is plan on the table. The press release announcing this new proposal was headlined ‘Council Leaders propose simplification of local government to support a devolution deal for Oxfordshire’.

This ‘simplification’ would involve: five NHS clinical commissioning groups; three police forces and three Police and Crime Commissioners; four local enterprise partnerships (LEPs); three highway authorities; three fire and rescue services, and three local resilience forums with responsibility for emergency planning.

Despite being described as a unitary bid to create single councils for each area, this proposal also retains two layers of local government in the form of four ‘quasi-unitary’ councils with a ‘combined authority’ quango covering three counties laid on top.

We are still unclear about which of the above bodies were involved in developing these proposals, or were even aware of them. The Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group’s logo was included on the website, and then removed within a day. The CCG in Gloucestershire is opposed to the plan.

OxLEP – a key partner in the original bid - was not aware of the new proposal until they saw the press release, and the LEP in Gloucestershire has also come out against the proposal.

To be clear, the county council was not involved in developing these quasi-unitary proposals, despite being responsible for 80% of local government spending in Oxfordshire. Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire councils were also not aware of proposals to carve off parts of their county.

However these proposals have revealed one point of strong agreement – the structure of local government in Oxfordshire needs to change to meet future financial challenges and rising demand for children and adult social care.

We are writing as the four political group leaders of Oxfordshire county council because we believe that for reasons of history, geography and practicality, we should be looking for a ‘one Oxfordshire’ approach.

Like the backers of the new proposal, we are all convinced that the unitary model – a single council serving an area - makes most sense. But they have to be real unitaries, not two layers of local government by another name.

The proposal to create a combined authority quango simply replaces the county council, covering a bigger area and with less democratic accountability. Under this proposal, responsibility for adult social care, along with council tax payers’ money to pay for it, would be handed to the NHS.

Joining up health and social care makes a lot of sense and that project is well underway in Oxfordshire. But handing over powers and budgets requires a proper debate to understand the implications.

Such an important decision cannot be done on the basis of a political deal and a press release – we need real openness and proper information about the implications of each option for Oxfordshire.

Today we are inviting all stakeholders to work together in a jointly agreed process to develop a business case for each of the options, including a single council for Oxfordshire and the four quasi-unitary option put forward by the districts. We will all need to agree the criteria, but efficiency, effectiveness and democratic accountability must be key.

Then, once they are in full command of the facts, the public can make up their own minds about the most efficient and effective way to deliver public services for Oxfordshire. Let the people decide.

Cllr Ian Hudpseth, Leader of the Council
Cllr Liz Brighouse, Leader of the opposition Labour group
Cllr Richard Webber, Leader of the Liberal Democrat group
Cllr David Williams, Leader of the Green group